Through a reporter's eyes : the life of Stefan Banach

* Based on original archival sources, dozens of interviews with people who knew and remember Banach, and conversations with mathematicians who are familiar with Banach's work and its impact on modern mathematics * Presents engaging descriptions of Banach's personality and the unusual milieu in which he worked * Originally written in Polish, the English edition has been revised to include new materials and many photographs 1995 marked the 50th anniversary of Stefan Banach's death. Until now, the general English speaking public has had no access to an in-depth life story of a mathematician whose name is one of those most often encountered in modern mathematical research. This small volume, originally written in Polish by a well-known reporter, is an effort to fill that gap in the biographical literature. It is based on original archival sources, dozens of interviews with people who knew and remember Banach, and conversations with mathematicians who are familiar with Banach's work and its impact on modern mathematics. The author presents engaging descriptions of Banach's personality and the unusual milieu in which he worked. Further, Chapter V focuses on the famous Scottish caf, which like Banach himself, has achieved a mythical dimension in mathematical lore. The English edition has been revised to include new materials and many photographs, and to reflect the interests of a broader international audience. Contents Foreword to the Polish Edition vi Translator and Editor’s Preface ix I Beginnings and Premonitions 1 II The “Greatest Discovery” of Hugo Steinhaus 12 III Lvov and Mathematics: 1919-1929 26 IV Studia Mathematica and Opérations Linéaires 46 V The Scottish Café 59 VI Banach Privately and In Daily Life 74 VII The Last Years 84 VII In the Eyes of Friends and Followers 92 Appendix I. Mathematics in Stefan Banach’s Time 107 by W. A. Woyczynski Appendix II. Selected Publications of Stefan Banach 116 Appendix III. Selected Bibliography 122 Notes 128 Index of Names 135 Beginnings And Premonitions -- The Greatest Discovery Of Hugo Steinhaus -- Lvov And Mathematics -- Studia Mathematica And Operation Lineaires -- The Scottish Cafe -- Banach Privately And In Daily Life -- The Last Years -- In The Eyes Of Friends And Followers -- Appendix 1; Mathematics In Stefan Banach's Time -- Appendix 2: Selected Publications Of Stefan Banach -- Appendix 3: Bibliography; Index Of Names. Roman Kałuża ; Translated And Edited [by] Wojbor Woyczyński, Ann Kostant. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This work looks at the life of the 20th-century mathematician,, Stephen Banach. It presents descriptions of Banach's personality and the milieu in which he worked. It also focuses on the Scottish Cafe, where he and his contemporaries often worked.